Therapeutic apparatus



April 26, 1938. J, E. cREwE THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed March l2, 1937' km. Nfl

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Patented Apr. 2,6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFr-lca maarau'rro maaarus John E. oren, Boehm, mnn. Application Much 12, 19337, sel-m No. 130,559

zclaims.

This invention relates to fresh air supplying apparatus for treating pulmonary and some cardiac diseases and, among other objects, aims to provide a simple, compact, portable outfit which may be quickly set up for use. The main idea is to provide a complete outfit contained within a portable case which may be carried by a physician and assembled for immediate use in the patients room in lieu-of an ordinary oxygen tent.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus assembled for use in a room, the wall and window being shown in section:

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view l5 taken through a carrying case containing a portion of the apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the treatment of pneumonia, tuberculosis, cyanosis, dyspnoea and of some advanced cardiac diseases, oxygen is frequently administered f' in great quantities to a patient to anord relief. In some cases, when this treatment becomes imperatiye,-oxygen is not available, as for instance, 25 in small hospitals or in rural homes, with the result that the patient dies before relief can be obtained. Some patients have a fear of ordinary oxygen tents, not only because of the fact that they believe that oxygen is being used as a last 30 resort, but they dread being enclosed within the confines of a tent. In certain cases, patients are required to sleep on an open porch or in a room with all the windows open to obtain the necessary air. In very cold climates, this necessitates 35 the use of heavy bed clothing, electric blankets or other body protection, which works added hardships on an already weakened person and tends to lower his morale. Moreover, a well ventilated room during very cold weather is too 40 cold for attendants and/or members of a family.

'Ihe present invention overcomes such deciencies by providing portable and compact fresh air purifying and supplying apparatus which may be carried in a-physicians car and kept available at all times for emergency use.

Referring particularly to the drawing, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention assembled for use in a room. It is shown as including a portable case III having a hinged 60 cover I I adapted to house all of the various parts and accessories so that the entire apparatus may be carried like a suitcase or small trunk. The outfit comprises generally a blower I2 within the case Il, to which air is delivered from outside the 55 room through an intake conduit I3, an outlet conduit Il leading from the blower to a hollow stand Il and a conduit I0 leading from the stand to the patient.

The apparatus is shown as being adapted to be used in conjunction with a window opening I1 in'a wall Il of a room. A board o r partition I3 having an opening 20 therethrough is adapted to be placed in the opening I1 beneath the window 2l. The board is preferably adjustable to ilt in window openings of different widths. The conduit I3, which is preferably flexible, has a rigid outer end portion 22 projecting through the opening 2l tothe outside and has a downwardly curved extremity 23 to prevent rain or the like from entering the conduit. To control the amount of air entering the conduit there is shown a conventional hand operated damper 24. The inner end 25 of the conduit I3 is also rigid and is insertable in an opening 26 in one end of the case Il. f

Air entering the case through the conduit I3 strikes a baille or spreader 21 in an air intake chamber being drawn into the intake opening 23 of the blower I2 through a funnel or hood 30. The blower is connected to be driven by a suitable small electric motor 3| and the outlet 32 oi.' the blower is shown as extending through a side wall of the case. The blower unit is secured within the case and a partition 33 extending across the case between the top and bottom confines the blower and other parts to one end portion of the case and provides a storage space 34 at the other end.

In the air chamber 23 between the blower I2 and the banle 21 there is shown a series of vertical guides 35 adapted to receive various means to condition the air entering the blower. A renewable filter 36 of well known construction is adapted to be inserted in the guides and adjacent thereto may be inserted a frame 31 containing an electric heating element 33. The fliter removes dust and pollen from the air, while the heater may be used to warm the air if the apparatus is used in extremely cold climates. In lieu of the heater a perforate container (not shown), the same size as the frame 31, may be nlled with cracked ice and used to cool the air in case the outside air is above the desired temperature. All of these conditioning means are readily insertable in the guide when the cover is in open position. However, any well known air conditioning accessories may be used in conjunction with the apparatus outside of the case.

The conduit I4 has a rigid end portion 39 slidably fitted into theoutlet 32 of the blower. 'lo

enable medicaments, such as pine needle oil, etc., to be introduced into the air stream, an opening closed by a removable plug 4l is provided in the rigid portion 39. 'I'his plug may be removed and replaced by an ordinary grease cup type fitting containing the proper medicament. Likewise, oxygen, steam or water vapor may be introduced at this point. The other end of the conduit I4 is in the form of a rigid elbow 4I adapted to be inserted into the lower end of the hollow stand I5.

The stand I5 is preferably made in two or more telescoping pipe sections 42 and 43 so that its height may be varied and is shown as being provided with a removable base 44 having rollers or casters 45 by means of which it may be moved about. The sections 42 and 43 of the stand are held in adjusted position by means of a set screw 4G and the upper end of the top section may have a casing 41 containing suitable gauges 48 built into it to show various air conditions, such as temperature, relative humidity, velocity, etc.

'I'he conduit I6 leading from the upper end of the stand directs the air into or near the patients face, it being understood that the stand has been wheeled to a convenient position near the patient and adjusted to the proper height. While the conduits I3 and I4 may be of rubber or the like, it is desirable that the conduit I6 made of flexible metal tubing or armored hose so that it remains in any position to which it is bent.

When the apparatus is to be packed for transport, the conduits I3, I4 and I8 are disconnected, the base 44 is removed, the sections 42 and 43 telescoped and all of these parts may then be placed within the storage compartment 34. Then the case is closed and may be carried by a suitable handle 49.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the apparatus shown and described is capable of providing conditioned, fresh outside air to a patient. It is only necessary to assemble the various parts and connect the motor to a suitable source of current, usually the house current. If house current is not available, it is contemplated that the motor will be such that it can be operated by a storage battery or the like. Likewise, if the heater element 38 is used, it will be adapted for use with the same current as the motor. The apparatus will supply abundant fresh air for any patient. Experience has shown that ltered air supplied in this manner affords sufcient stimulation and relief for most advanced cases ordinarily requiring the use of an oxygen tent.

Furthermore, the apparatus is relatively inexpensive and may be made available for private use. It is well adapted for use in the treatment of less serious ailments, such as hay fever, asthma and the like. In such cases, 4the stand may be placed beside a patient sitting in a chair. There are no complicated parts requiring expert attention and the apparatus may be operated almost as easily as .an ordinary electric fan.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein vshown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly, since they may be em-` ployed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations.

What is claimed is:

1. Therapeutic apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a suitcaselike casing having a handle and a removable cover; a removable flexible fresh air intake conduit extending through one end wall of said casing adapted to extend through a window opening; a partition dividing the casing into separate compartments; a motor-driven fan unit in one of the compartments to receive air from the intake conduit; removable air filtering means in the casing between the fan and said intake conduit; an air outlet conduit leading from the fan and removably connected to one side of the casing; a portable stand composed of tubular telescopic sections connected to the air outlet conduit and adapted to be adjusted beside a patients bed; and a bendable metal conduit on the upper end of said stand adapted to be adjusted to deliver fresh air to a patient, said stand and conduits being adapted to be disconnected and stored in said storage compartment so that the apparatus may be transported as a physicians emergency kit. l

2. Therapeutic apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a kit in the form of a suitcase-like casing having a removable top cover; a transverse partition Within the casing providing separable compartments; an electric motor and fan unit arranged in one of said compartments; an air intake conduit removably connected to said compartment; a fresh air outlet conduit also removably connected to said compartment having a bendable extension adapted to be adjusted to deliver fresh air to a patient lying in bed; and filtering means for the air entering said compartment, said conduits being adapted to be disconnected and stored in the other compartment of said casing so that the apparatus may be transported as a physicians emergency kit.

' JOHN E. CREWE. 

